Suspensory garment



3,059,638 Fatented Oct. 23, 1962 3,059,633 SUSPENSORY GARMENT Harold R. Savage, 31 Mill( St., Medford 9, Mass. Filed Sept. 8, 1958, Ser. No. 759,660 6 Claims. (CI. 128-159) This invention relates t-o a garment for men and boy which may serve as an under garment or as an outer garment and also function as a Supporter.

Garments of this general character, =as heretofore provided, have served either as a protective coverng garment for the body, whether as an under garment or as an outer garment, or as 'a Supporter. When constructed for the former purpose, they fail to function etfectively as a supporter. When made to function as a supporter, they fail to afford any apprecia'ble protectve covering -for the body. Attempts to make combinations of the two, in order to serve both purposes, cause the one to militate :against the proper fit and functioning of the other and cause discomfort to the wearer, from both. i

An object of the present invention is to make a simple garment, for men and boys, which may serve for use as an under garment and/ or an outer garment, and which shall afiord both effective protective covering for the surfaces of the body of the wearer and also function freely and effectively :as a Supporter, wherever this function is desired.

Another object is t-o make suitable provisions for umform fit and free movement of the wearer, at all times, and to permit the normal functioning of the body, during the usual course 'of use and wear, without inconvemence, discomfort or displacement.

Other objects and imp rovements, resulting from the inventior Will appear from the following descriptions, drawings and disclosure.

A representative example of carrying out the invention, in actual practice, will be described in terms of the procedure for making -a typical garment, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FlG. 1 is a front view 'of the garment, flattened out;

FIG. 2 is :a vertical, cross-sectional view of the garment, on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, in the direction of the arrows, as opened out, somewhat as it would be, upon being worn; and `also showing inner elements and attachments thereon, in :association with a suspensory element or attachment, in position, which may be provided therewith or not, as desred, and is both detacha'ble 'and replaceable.

In making the garment, `a piece of tubing material will be chosen which is elastic, as by the incorporation of elastic threads or fibers, by the Weave, the knitting, or other disposition of the yarn or fiber structure therein, or combinations thereof, :and more especially of the two- Way Stretch characterstics, which `are provided in many such materials on the market at the present time. It may be 'of specific or standard commercial dimensions, as to diameter or circumferential qualifications. But the particular material chosen will of course correspond, in this respect, to the size of the garment which is intended to be made, eg., small, medium or large. Allowing for its el'astic, stretching and recovery characteristics, and accompanying tensions, one index for such choice is that the tubular material shall be of a circumference and tension suitable for the waist measurement of the person or persons for whom the garment is intended. When this is done, it will be found that the garment, when made in accordance with this invention, will conform to and contour the normally larger measurements of the chest, hips, upper thighs and legs as Well.

As shown in FIG, 1, the piece of material 1, to 'be used, is of sufficent length or height, from the top margin 2 to the 'bottom margin 3, to provide a garment to fit the wearer from above the chest or just beneath the arm pits, to below the hips and down over the upper part of the thighs. With a piece of material of such length, a garment may be made, in accordance with the invention, which is the equivalent of a union suit, to cover the corresponding :areas of the body, and capable of and effective in functioning as 'an intimate Supporter, throughout the entire area of the body, which is uniformly covered and contacted with it.

By now measuring up from the bottom margin 3 a suitable distance to allow for the desired degree of coverage for the hips and thighs, or upper leg portions to be covered by the garment, to a point corresponding to or level With the crotch of the wearer, an opening 4 is cut through the front center `of the goods, commencing at' the point 5, at the crotch level, and cutting thence upwardly to form an enlarging arcuate space, as shown, and passing symmetric-ally 'across and thence downwardly again, to the point e, which is on a 'horizontal level with,

but *spaced from the point of starting, 5, leaving an uncut space or line 7, therebetween.

By this procedure, the uncut line or space, between the points 5 and '6, defines the front of the crotch; and the `arcuate piece of material thus partially cut out above it and still integrally 'attached thereto, may serve as crotch member 8, by simply attaching a detacha-ble snap fastener 9 to its free end portion 'and a correspondng cin-fastener 9a on the inside of the rear center portion of the garment as shown, on a level therewith or slightly above or slightly below the crotch level. By now joining these co-operating snap fasteners 9 and 911, in the usual way, the front center portion 'and the rear center portion, of the garment are joined, at the level of the crotch `of the wearer, by the crotch member 8. The garment is ready for use, in this condition, very advantageously, for it aifords firm, uniform, and uniformly distributed support to all parts of the body enclosed by it, including the chest, waist, lower abdomen, the reins, the hips 'and the upper part of the thghs or legs. The crotch member, on being fastened, especially establishes and assures this even distribution of tension and support, :and more particularly of the front portion of the garment, upwardly from the crotch member 8 and the front line '5-6 thereof and downwardly thereto.

The crotch member 8 also positions the garment symmetrically upon the wearer and distributes the tensions uniforrnly between the front and rear portions of the garment, While leaving the legs free therebetween.

The crotch member 8 may be permanently attached to the front of the garment, as in this case, above described, and detachably attached to the rear portion of the garment, for it is very simple and easy to do it in this Way. But, of course, the crotch member could be permanently attached to the back portion of the garment and attachable to and detachahle from the front portion, at or about the line or level 5-6. Or, the crotch member may be made detachable from both the front and rear portions of the garment. It could, for some special purposes, be permanently attached to both the front and rear portions of the garment, but this would be rather exceptional. In any event, the crotch portion is preferably made of freely elastic and soft materials.

In conjunction with, or instead of, the crotch member, the front center of the lower margin of the garment may be provided with a snap fastener 10 and the rear center of the lower margin of the rear portion of the garment may be provided with a co-operating snap fastener 10'a, as 'shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. By joining the front center and rear center portions of the lower margn of the garment together in this manner, the lower margn of the garment eifectively forms two leg elements, which bring and hold the garment as a whole down and also firm the supporting function throughout, tensioning the same over the entire surface of the body, chest, waist, abdomen, reins, hips, thighs, and around the legs.

In addition to the uniform contacting, conforming and supporting action of the garment as a whole, throughout the surfaces and members of the body covered by it, it will also be desirable to afford an enclosure or specific support for the genitals of the wearer. 'Ihis may be done in several ways, but it is a novel and unique feature of this invention that the provision, fitting and functions of such supporting means will not interfere with the comfort and satisfactory, effective services of the garment, as above described, nor with the bodly functions of the wearer. One way of doing this is illustrated in FIG. 2, as by providing a suspensory sac 11, preferably having an elastic tab 12, with a snap fastener 13 thereon, adapted to engage with a correspondng snap fastener 1311 on the crotch member 8. The upper part of the sac 11, preferably at or about the waist level of the wearer, may have one or more snap fasteners 14, suitably mounted thereon, adapted to engage a corresponding member or members, 14a, on the front, outside center portion of the garment, thus holding the sac in position, relative to the opening 4 in the garment and relative to the body of the wearer. Instead of such positively positioned snap fasteners 14 and 1411, the top of the sac 11 may be held in place by other means, such as a cord or elastic, flexibly Secured to the sac and to the waist line of the garment or a waistband, encircling the waist of the wearer, outside of the body garment. In any event, such arrangement provides for and allows the convenient exercise of the bodly functions of the wearer, at all times, without removal of the garment or supporting sac and without distortion or displacement of either, with or without the unsnapping of the crotch member 8 or of the leg portions, as above described.

The lower end of the suspensory sac 11 may be joined to the inside, rear center of the back portion of the garment, as by using a longer tab 12 and a suitably positioned corresponding snap fastener mounted on the inside of the back of the garment, if desired. Alternatively, the snap fastener 9a, for the crotch member, may be used for this purpose, or an additional snap fastener, or fasteners, 9a, at a higher level, or levels, for selective degrees of adjustment and fit.

As mentioned above, various modifications may be made, in the practical making, adaptation and use of the present invention. Thus, the upper margin of the body portion may be lowered, simply by cutting the original material shorter, whereupon, the upper margin, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, would be brought down to or about the waist line of the wearer. Likewise, the lower margin of the garment may be raised, by cutting the original material shorter, at the lower end, say, only slightly below or up to the level of the crotch line -6. Of course, in the former modification, the coverage and support of the upper body and chest of the wearer will be eliminated; and in the latter, the coverage and support of the upper thighs by the leg portions of the garment, will be elirninated. In either or both of these cases, the coverage of the snrfaces of the body will be correspondingly reduced, to the degree that such changes are made. But they may be adopted, to effect a saving of material or to make a smaller garment, at least to the degree indicated, and the other features of the invention will still be preserved and present, and fully effective for the use, fitting, comfort and convenience of the wearer.

The upper margin of the garment may be hemmed, thus enhancing its tension and retention effects; likewise, the lower margin and the peripheral margins of the opening 4. But it is also an economical feature of this invention that it is not essential that this be done. For the materials of the character described do not fray. Furthermore, these free margins tend to roll up, spontaneously, on

themselves, nwardly, and form a very satisfactory and permanent rolled hem, both in function and appearance. Moreover, as thus freely rolled, instead of being sewn, the rolled hem preserves its full degree of unimpeded elasticity and softness.

The same is true of the margins of the opening 4. They may or may not be hemmed, as desired. But, they may be advantageously hemmed, as indicated, at 15, suitably to receive within the hem an elastic cord, or other cord member 16, whereby the size and/or shape of the opening 4 may be controlled and enlarged or reduced at will, as desired. By drawing on the cord 16, as thus retained in the hem 15, and thus pursing up the opening 4, the supporting eftect of the body of the garment, above, around and beneath the opening 4 may be enhanced accordingly. Or, conversely, it may be relaxed and the contrary effects obtained, spontaneously, as desired. After such adjustment, as by tying the ends or by fastening them in any convenient way against retraction into the hem, subscquent distribution of tensions and of the supporting functions of the garment will be automatically accomplished, with reference thereto. These are very desirable and important features of the garment made in accordance with the present invention.

A similar hem and enclosed cord may be provided along one or more of the margins of the supporter sac 11, if desired, to hold it in position and at the same time render it readily adjustable, and self-adjustable, per se, especially when the sac 11 is not made of an elastic or readily yieldable material itself, as is sometimes the case. Such a marginal cord, at the bottom of the sac, 11, for example, may form an elastic loop, (not shown) and pass around the crotch member 8, and thus serve adjustably to secure it thereto, in place of the snap fasteners 13 and 13a, above described.

The opening 4, in the front center of the garment, as above described, and illustrated in the drawings, is arcuate" in shape, having a generally curved perphery. This is because this contour has been found to be especially preferable, in general. It is particularly so, When the gathering cord 16 is provided and inserted along one or more sides or throughout the entire margin of the opening 4, including the front of the crotch member, 8, that is, across the front of the crotch 7, along the line 5-6. But the opening 4 can be otherwise shaped and proportioned, as, for example, a square or oblong, a triangular-shaped opening, -with straight or curved sides, and upright or inverted, truncated or not, as desired, or an ellipse or other shape. Even a slit in the material, without removal of any of the goods, vertical or horizontal, may be sufiicient to make the opening 4, for the elasticity of the material will permit of its opening sufliciently freely. In any or all of these possible alternatives, the gathering cord may be provided or not, as desired, and if not, the hem may also be dispended with, for the free margins will spontaneously form a rolled hem, as above set forth.

It may be pointed out that, as above described, each snap fastener is shown and described as having a single corresponding position for it and for its co-fastener. But it will be understood that a plurality of positions may be provided for, in respect of either or both of such fastener elements, thus to attord optional adjustments and spacings therebetween. Thus, as already suggested, the tab 12 may have a snap 13 thereon, adapted to engage the cofastener member 13a, on the crotch member 8; or, the tab 12 may be extended, with a tastener thereon, adapted to be engaged with a co-fastener element 9a, on the inside back center of the garment, as shown in FIG. 2, or with the co-fastener element 9a instead of the fastener element 9, on the crotch member 8, thus enabling it to serve as the crotch member itself, and freeing the crotch member 8 and the front 7 thereof, along the line 5-6,

and lila are joined together.

While snap fasteners have been referred to herein, because they are found to be most convenient both to attach and in use, it will be understood that other equivalent fastening means may be employed, such as buttons and button-holes, suitably stayed, and the like.

It is also within the invention to introduce between the fasteners on the front center of the garment and the rear center of the garment a supplementary connecting member (not shown) more fully to provide and shape the leg portions and leg openings formed thereby.

Other supplementary modifications or adaptations of the invention may be incorporated with or into the garment, as above shown and described, if desired, for special purposes or reasons, without losing or departing from the advantages of the invention.

Thus an ordinary suspensory, of the various, usual, well known forms, or of the so-called bikini type, may be used with the garment effectively, with or without positive attachment of the same to the garment, as at the waist, the lower portions or margins of the garment or to the crotch member.

A further modification may be introduced by fleecing the inner surface of the tubular, elastic material from which the garment is to be made, thus making it smoother, which will facilitate putting the garment on and off, and providing an inner, insulating layer, which makes the garment, in conjunction with its uniform and continuous contact with the surfaces of the body, a garment of exceptional Warmth, in very cold weather or under conditions of exposure, While eifective to take up quickly but also to evaporate gradually the moisture from the body, through the distended and consequently open texture of the outer, woven, elastic layer, constituting the body of the garment.

Fnger holds may be attached to the outside of the garments, such as by horizontally sewn pleats in the goods or by strips of firm fabric, sewn at each end thereto (not shown), to facilitate drawing the garment on or off, and also for positioning the garment, while on, as desred.

Other modifications and adaptations are contemplated and applicable to the invention and are deemed to fall within the concept of applicant's invention and to be construed as included by the definition of the invention in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A complete, exclusively body-supporting garment, for men and boys, which consists of a cylindrical sheath of two-way stretch, elastic, tubular material, having a completely open, continuous, top margin and a completely open, continuous bottom margin, said margins being substantially straight and horizontally parallel to each other, the material of the garment being of continuous and uniform structure throughout, a completely free and completely open opening through the front of the garment, at the center thereof and adjacent to the bottom margin of the garment, .and means beneath said opening and on the lower front center of the garment to connect the same to the lower rear center of the garment and positively position the garment relative to said opening.

2. A complete, exclusively body-supporting garment, for men and boys, as defined by claim l, which comprises supplementary means to connect the lower front center of the garment, beneath the front center opening, to the rear center of the garment and positively position the garment relative to said opening.

3. In combination with a garment for men and boys, having a tubular, uniform, two-way stretch, elastic body portion with open upper and lower margins and a free opening through the front center of the garment, spaced 'from and above the *lower margin of the garment, a detachable Supporter element including a pouch and having a fastener at the lower end thereof and a plurality of fasteners on the upper end thereof, a fastener Secured to the lower front center of the garment, below said free opening, for co-operating engagement with the fastener on the lower end of said supporterelement, and a plurality of fasteners Secured to the front center of the garment, above said free opening, for co-operating engagement with said fasteners on the upper end of said Supporter element, whereby the lower end of said Supporter element may be selectively afiixed to the garment below the free opening 'and whereby the upper end of the Supporter element may be selectively aflixed to the garment above said free opening, so as to overlie and be positioned positively relative to said opening and independently thereof and a crotch member, with fasteners on the front and rear ends thereof and fasteners in the front center of the garment, below the free opening therein, and in the rear center of the garment, co-operating With said fasteners on the front and rear ends of the crotch member, respectively,

4. In combination with a garment for men and boys, having a tubular, uniform, two-way stretch elastic body portion with open upper and lower margins and a free opening through the fron-t center of the garment spaced from and above the lower margin of the garment, a detachable Supporter element including a suspensory sac, having a fastener on the lower end of the Supporter ele- -ment, a fastener Secured to the garment, below said free opening, for co-operating engagement with the fastener on the Supporter element, whereby the Supporter element overlies and is positioned relative to said free opening, and fastening means in the front inside center of the garment, below the free opening therein and in 'the rear inside center of the lower portion of the garment, cooperating to connect the front and rear lower portions of the garment.

5. In combination with a garment for males, having a tubular, uniform, two-way stretch elastic body portion with open upper and lower margins and a free opening through the front center of the garment spaced from and !above the lower margin of the garment, a detachable supporter element including a suspensory sac, a fastener on the lower end of the Supporter element, fastening means in the 'rear inside center of the lower portion of the garment, a crotch member on the front center of the garment below said free opening with -a fastener on the rear end thereof to co-operate With said fastening means, and a fastener Secured to said crotch member for co-operating engagement with the fastener on the Supporter element, whereby the supporter element overlies and is positioned relative to said free opening.

6. In combination with a garment for men and boys, having a tubular, uniform, two-way stretch, elastic body portion with open upper and lower margins and a free opening through the front center of the garment, spaced from and above the lower margin of the garment, a supporter element including a suspensory sac having a fastener at the lower end thereof and 'a plurality of fasteners on the upper end thereof and a plurality of fasteners Secured to the front center of the garment, above said -free opening, for co-operating engagement with said fasteners on the upper end of the supporter element, whereby the upper end of the Supporter element may be elfectively affixed to the garment above said 'free opening, so as to overlie and be positioned relative to said opening .and independently thereof, and a crotch member on the garment below said free opening with a fastener on the rear end thereof and a fastener on the crotch member co-operating with the fastener on the lower end of the Supporter element, and a fastener on the rear inside center of the garment, `co-operat-ing with said 'fastener on the rear end of said crotch member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS S01,478 Jaros July 11, 1893 (Other references on following page) 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS Zetosch Dec. 23, 1916 Sanders May 4, 1920 Burnell Feb. 26, 1935 Parkes Mar. 5, 1935 8 Spain Apr. 11, 1953 Ernstorff July 8, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS France Nov, 24, 1931 Italy Nov. 27, 1948 

